I hope you are enjoying your summer vacation! We had a great time in Summer Drama and Digital Storytelling in Summer Enrichment last week. We completed wonderful, original plays and stories. I thought in the next few posts that I will share some of the activities we completed.

I had promised to share some opportunities for Summer Extra Credit for the incoming sixth graders. I have included “Summer Smash #1”. You can download the PDF and complete a hardcopy to turn-in when school begins in August.

We’ve already begun the second trimester and will soon be looking forward to Thanksgiving vacation. I have updated the SMASH writing pages. Remember that you must turn in a copy of each of the completed Smash page for this year as well as the final page for grading. There is an extra credit page for those who wish to add some extra points.

Perhaps you would like to check out a clever video on grammar. Follow this link: Grammar Rock

Tomorrow, Thursday, August 27 is Back to School night. I decided to try a new program I learned at a summer seminar to present my information to the parents. The program is Thinglink, and I have had an interesting time completing my first official Thinglink. You can view my creation by clicking on this link:

I think I will add the handouts that will be given to parents in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade English classes. Click on the link to find the information for each grade. I’ve included the form for the eighth grade dedication ads for our Yearbook 2016.

I’m looking forward to meeting with new students in sixth grade and starting new classes with the seventh and eighth grades.

I’ve tried a new program called Piktochart. You can find out more information about this site to create infographics by visiting their web site at http://piktochart.com/. I spent a few hours this afternoon updating the English Class Policy into a Piktochart. It was about time I made some changes since I have been using the same basic form for several years. We want to incorporate Digital Storytelling into our programs this year, and so we will be trying out some new programs.

I’ve included my new English Class Policy Piktochart. What do you think?

I’ve collected all of the Smash writing pages completed in our first two collections of writing. This is a quick, fun method to write with imagination. Even students who don’t enjoy writing seem to be able to complete these homework assignments.

The end of the 2013 – 2014 school year will be here shortly. It’s been a year full of adventures! Congratulations to all of the upper grade students, especially to our graduating Eighth Grade! We wish you much success next year in high school!

Don’t forget about Summer Extra Credit! Check back on this site to see some new ideas for this summer!

The seventh grade finished short stories by creating their own short story anthology. For the first time, all of the stories can be read on your Kindle or Nook!

The New 7th Grade Short Story Anthology – Volume 15 is now available for download in epub and mobi format. Follow the links to get your free copy!

The clues are in front of us daily. Communication is all around us! Language Arts, English, is communication, and communication is sharing meaning. How many ways do we communicate? Your summer project for English is to search out the clues and discover how many times and how many ways you use your language arts skills every day.

We speak. We write. We read. But, are you aware of how much you use these skills in your daily life? You are to keep a journal, or a scrapbook, or a combination of both to record your clues into the adventures of speaking, writing, and reading this summer. The result will bring great rewards when school begins again in the fall!

You can use a variety of sources.

I have a website, and I’m still writing the blog I began a few summers ago. Check it out for suggestions for reading, writing, and other activities in the months of June, July, and August. You can respond to either if you like, and I’ll keep a record of it to add to your summer extra credit.

Learn a new vocabulary word and use it every day. Discover the history of the word.

Write letters to your favorite authors about the latest book you’ve read. Keep a copy of the letter – and the reply from the author if you receive one.

Create a Book Club with your friends or family. Read and discuss books or short stories.

Read a SERIES of books from one author. (Babysitters Club, Goosebumps, Narnia Chronicles)

Read as many books as you can, written by one author. Which is your favorite?

Give a Public Speech for a group with whom you are involved. Record the experience.

Write a Travelogue of one of your summer trips or adventures.

Weekly/daily write in a journal exactly what you have read: books, newspaper, magazines.

Read a book – then watch the movie. Compare the two. Which is better?

Review a magazine.

Follow a series or a columnist in the newspaper or in a blog and write a commentary.

Create a newspaper for your family and friends.

Write and produce a play or video. Ask your friends to help.

“Publish” a book of poetry, short stories, or essays.

Enter a writing contest.

Join the summer reading program at your local library.

Go see a movie or a play. Be a CRITIC and write the review.

Become “friends” with a character in your favorite book and make a “scrapbook” of your friendship. This can be paper or virtual scrapbook.

Take a summer English class – or writing class – or drama class.

Choose a genre (mystery, science fiction, historical novel) and see how many different authors you can read that write in that genre. Which author handles the style best?

Create a web site – share all the information you can about a particular author or book – or information on vocabulary – or information on grammar – or a site devoted to your writings: stories, essays, criticisms.

* Check out your local LIBRARY for their Summer Reading Program.

* Take a class this summer that includes reading, writing, or performing!

I thought it might be helpful for the sixth grade to have the instructions for the Hero Journey available to them even when they are not at school. Here are the various stages involved in the Hero Journey.